On-the-job Search in Italian Labour Markets: An Empirical Analysis

Abstract

This paper analyses the determinants of on-the-job search activities of Italian workers. On-the-job search is a good indicator of labour turnover, overcoming the limitations due to a lack of adequate data about labour turnover. Using several waves of the Bank of Italy Survey on Household Income and Wealth (SHIW) we estimate with a Probit model how individual socio-demographic characteristics and economic variables affect the probability of on-the-job search. We find that the probability of being engaged in job-search activities is higher for males, when wage is lower, for workers with low tenure and higher levels of education and for residents in large cities. Public sector workers show a considerable lower probability of on-the-job search, suggesting higher satisfaction on the job. White-Collars and Teachers search much less than Blue-Collars. The number of job held and the average number of hours worked per week are important factors that increase the probability of on-the-job search. Married women and women with children are less likely to be looking for an alternative employment.

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